What is an Air Plant - Tillandsia?

Tillandsias are the most interesting, exotic, and fun plants that exist. Tillandsia are part of the Bromeliad family, the Genus name is Tillandsia, but most people call them Air Plants. There are over 500 species of Tillandsia (plus many hybrids) that grow in Mexico, South and Central Americas. There are about 16 species that are native to florida and most are endangered.

Tillandsias take in all their water and nutrients through the leaf system, none or very minimal amounts are absorbed by the root system. They roots are used as wire like anchors to hold onto trees, rocks etc. Since the root system is not important to the plant it can be removed without harm, to make your plant easier to mount.

Growth Cycle

Bromeliad Tillandsia have a life cycle of one plant growing to maturity and blooming. Before, during or after blooming (depending on the species), your plant will start producing young (PUPS). Most plants will produce between 2-8 pups which in return will mature, generally within a year and in turn will bloom and produce pups. Say this year you have one plant, next year maybe six, the next year 36 and so on. The not so bad news is that each plant will flower only once in its lifetime, but you should have blooms every year or less as the pups mature and in turn flower. Flowers can last from several days to many months depending on the species. Most Tillandsia bloom naturally in late winter through mid-summer.

General Info

• Tillandsias DO have to be watered.
• Tillandsias are NOT parasitic, they do not harm the host tree.
• Trimming away brown or bent leaves will not harm the plant.

Main reasons why Tillandsias die

• They were not initially cared for properly (little to no water or over-watered).
• They did not get sufficient light (they were more than 10 feet away from a brigt window or skylight.
• They were placed in DIRECT SUN.
• They were not watered thoroughly and on schedule. Bulby and fleshy Tillandsias can rot. Drain them or shake off excess water and make sure they are completely dry before watering again.
• Remember, Tillandsias growing outdoors need more watering than indoor Tillandsias, as the sun and wind dry them out more quickly.

This section will give you the basics on how to care for you plant. It is split up in to the following 4 sections :

Watering

Lighting

Temperature

Fertilizing

Watering
Watering is one of the most important aspects of succeeding with Tillandsias, and one of the most misunderstood. Because their common name is "air plants", people tend to think of these plants as needing little or no water (as living on air). This is the biggest mistake you can make. Tillandsias NEED water and although they can survive for long periods of drought, they are NOT GROWING and certainly not thriving in these conditions but are going dormant just trying to survive.

Over-watering is also a problem. Your plant will rot and die if left wet for too long. Basically this means your plant wants water, but needs to dry out completely before being watered again. Plants should be given enough light and air circulation to dry in no longer than 4 hours after watering. It's best to water your plants in the morning so they dry by nightfall.  

Humidity is NOT a source of water for your plant. Tillandsias can only obtain their water if it is sat on their leaves, in nature through dew, fog and rain. Humidity only delays the drying process. Tillandsias are covered in suction scales (trichomes) which capture moisture, these scales automatically close when your plant has enough moisture. Get to know your plant, handle the leaves, after watering the leaves will feel stiff and full of water, when in need of water they will be softer to the touch and the plant will be lighter in color.  Dehydration can be noticed by flaccid, wrinkled or rolled leaves. 

Water Quality
Generally speaking water quality is not important to Tillandsias, they do not tend to show water spots and are basically only susceptible to pH8 or higher, or too much salt. Artificially softened water has too much sodium (salt) for Tillandsias and should not be used as it will slowly cause die back. Distilled water is too pure and will actually pull nutrients out of the plant tissue causing death, never use distilled water. Tillandsia like moving air, not closed stuffy conditions.

Watering Schedule
Your plant needs to be watered regularly, at least 2 to 3 times per week. Misting is generally not sufficient even if done daily, they need to be watered (underneath as well as on top) to the point of runoff as though they've just gone through a rain storm, at least twice a week. If possible, your plant will appreciate a good soaking for several hours every one to two weeks (although never submerge the blooming flower for more than a few seconds, or the petals will dissolve, of course if you're going away for several weeks it is more important to give your plant sufficient water, than to the preserving of  the bloom). In extremely dry conditions, or in a house or office with air conditioning or heating going, your plant may require more water. If your plant looks dry (check in the leaf sheaths, and the base of the plant) you could water daily if required, as long as the plant dries out before being watered again, you will not cause harm to the plant (there are exceptions to this rule, if you've purchased a different care plant you should have been informed). Shake out any excess water from your plant container, don't forget your plant wants to dry out by nightfall, not to be left sat in water. Shake off any excess water from fleshy plants. Give thin leaf varieties an extra spray on their tips as they dry out faster.  

Reviving a neglected plant
If you have a plant that's been neglected, don't throw it away if there's any green left anywhere on the plant. Instead immerse your plant in water up to a maximum of 12 hours and for another 4 hours 2 or 3 days later, then resume a normal watering cycle, quite often the plant will recover, and even though you will have leaf damage your plant should still produce pups for you. Look after the pups better.

Vacationing
If you are going on a short vacation (under one month). Soak your plant for 4 hours 3 days before you go then soak again for 12 hours immediately before you leave, place the plant in a shady (not dark) spot. Upon returning your plant will show a little leaf damage and will look dehydrated, immediately soak for 12 hours and for another 4 hours 2 or 3 days later, then resume normal watering, your plant should start to revive several hours after immersion. Your plant just went dormant while you were on vacation, given good water and light it will wake up again.

If your are going for several months. In the frost free months place your plant outside where your sprinkler system will water it for you (be careful to place in a light or medium shade area, not under bushes where it is deep shade.) If you have nowhere like this, use an old umbrella to form a mini shade house (don't use a black umbrella). If possible, leave your plants under 50% shade cloth and use a battery operated mister.

Lighting
Adequate light is the second most important factor in growing a strong healthy plant (water being the first).

Give your plant as bright a light as you can, without causing burning. Indoors we recommend no further than 10 feet from a window or skylight. Outdoors under a tree, carport, patio or shade cloth would be ideal. Partial sun for an hour or so in the morning or evening should be okay, but you should avoid all day direct sun.  

Be careful of placing directly in south facing windows as the amplified heat may cause excessive drying of the plant and burning (good air  circulation i.e. the window open to conduct the heat away from the plant should stop this problem).

In Offices, fluorescent lighting will normally provide the proper color range for good plant growth, this can always be supplemented with a desk lamp if necessary.  

If your plant loses it's color after blooming, this is natural, all its energy is now going into producing pups. If your plant (especially Ionanthas) loses it's color before blooming its not getting sufficient light, move to a lighter location.

With that in mind, remember that full sun and partial sun are very different in summer and winter, and the intensity is very different in Florida than northern States like Michigan.

For the technical few out there here are the numbers. For the non technical skip the next section so you don't get confused.

Most Tillandsia will grow well at light levels of around 20,000 lux for 12 hours a day. They will grow with better shape and color at levels of 30,000 - 40,000 lux. It is impossible to guess light intensity by eye, so if you don't have a light meter these numbers are of no use to you.  

To give you a rough idea of what these numbers mean :

In Florida's summer around noon we measure around 100,000 lux on a clear day. In the winter we get around 70,000 lux. For growing plants outdoors this means, in the summer we use a 60% shade cloth, in the winter we use a 40% shade cloth, that way we get around 40,000 lux that we are aiming for.

Temperature
Tillandsias are tolerant of a wide range of temperatures from near freezing in winter to over 100F in summer. Optimum temperature range for tillandsias is 50 - 90 degrees F with a 10 degree drop at night. Most will survive a light frost but will have some leaf damage, but should still produce pups for you. A frost for more than a few hours will kill your plant.

Fertilizing
Fertilizing Tillandsia is not really necessary, but it will result in faster growth, better flowers and more pups. When fertilizing your plant be very careful not to over do it as Tillandsias are very susceptible to over fertilization. Over fertilizing or using the wrong kind of fertilizer is a very good way to kill your plant. So for those of you that want extra happy plants here's how:

Use a good water soluble fertilizer at 1/4 the strength recommended on the label, and use it only once a month.

(N) Nitrogen - should be in the form of ammonium or nitrate NOT UREA ( Urea needs the bacteria in soil to break it down, and you have no soil, hence not a good idea.) Can also build-up and cause damage.

(P)  Phosphorus - an excess is not harmful and helps combat an excess of Nitrogen.

(K) Potassium - in large amounts - excess not harmful.

NO copper, boron or zinc - or minimal quantities under 0.5%  are okay. Most don't say, but choose an acidic fertilizer by choice.

A good mix would be 1-1.5 - 2.0 or 10-15-20 try and keep the nitrogen low in comparison to the P and at least half the K.

Shipping / Transporting
Tillandsias travel and ship well. When shipping, water two days (or a minimum of 24 hours) before shipping, by soaking for several hours, but always make sure your plant is completely dry for the actual shipping, upon arrival give your plants another good soaking to revive them.

Plants that are transported when wet have problems because of the lack of air circulation, and if shipping is delayed or lost, could eventually arrive with rot problems (shiny brown spots). NEVER wrap your plants in plastic bags, wrap in paper to avoid bruising to the plant. Remember... Tillandsias growing outdoors need more watering than indoor Tillandsias, as the sun and wind dry them out more quickly.